What a time to be alive! March Madness has been extraordinary, with upsets ranging from Oakland over Kentucky to Yale over Auburn. The madness is far from over, as the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight games will begin this Thursday and last until Sunday.
However, a significant storyline heading into this tournament was that only three Big East teams got a bid, with the Providence Friars being among those snubbed, despite being a 20-win team. Regardless, the Friars were a team few wanted to go against, beating Marquette once and Creighton twice. The player behind the Friars’ success all season long was junior guard Devin Carter. The Miami native averaged nearly 20 points and nine rebounds a night in 35 minutes of work. His play alone elevated the Friars from potentially being at the bottom of the Big East to being on the bubble of making the NCAA Tournament, and he was crucial following the injury to star Bryce Hopkins. As a result, Carter has drawn significant attention from NBA executives and projects to be a mid to late first round selection. With the teams that own picks in that range, it makes the most sense for the New York Knicks to take a chance on the 22-year-old guard.
The Knicks own four, first-round picks in this year’s draft, albeit with some caveats. The team has their own first round pick, although they are playing at such a high level that Carter will likely be gone by then. Their second first-round pick is from the Detroit Pistons, which is in the Top 18 protected. This means that for New York to own that pick, the Pistons would have to be picking outside the top 18. However, since the Baltimore Ravens have won more games than the Detroit Pistons this year, this pick won’t convey for at least a few years, meaning the Knicks are out of luck.
Similarly, it will take some time for a pick they own over the Washington Wizards to mature. It seems like a million years ago that Kristaps Porzingis was dealt to the Dallas Mavericks and New York still owns a top 10 protected pick from that deal. Since the Mavericks are 13th in the league, they are a lottery team. However, the odds of them receiving a top 10 pick are not high, and the selection will likely convey, meaning that New York is right in line to draft Carter.
This year’s Big East Player of the Year would immediately impact this Knicks squad, especially considering the uncertainty surrounding this team. 27-year-old OG Anunoby is in the last year of his $18 million-per-year deal with a player option he will likely decline. This means the team will have to shell out an additional $10 million to keep him. For a team with cap issues, they could stand to lose Anunoby, meaning they would have a significant hole at the three. If they lose the 6-foot-8 forward, the team could slide Bojan Bogdanovic into the three, with Josh Hart as the backup. Carter could join Miles McBride as the backup guards behind both Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo. Both Brunson and DiVincenzo are the surefire starters for the franchise and have excelled as such. Still, the importance of giving starters rest and having a top-tier bench cannot be understated, especially on a championship-contending squad.
New York would be the perfect destination for Carter, and it’s simple: he fits into the Tom Thibodeau coaching system. Before the RJ Barrett trade, Quentin Grimes was the starting three for most of the year, and it was only for his defense. Thibodeau values hard-nosed defense, and it’s the same with Carter, though with a slight exception: his offensive arsenal is deep.
The 6-foot-3 guard is a slasher by nature, and despite being undersized, he has repeatedly proven that he is not afraid to finish at the rack for a tough lay. While small guards are a rarity in today’s game, that shouldn’t deter New York from looking at Carter. The Providence guard doesn’t play like he is 6-foot-3; he can get physical against a 7-foot center. If Carter can develop his craftiness around the rim instead of trying to muscle his way in every time, he possesses the potential to become a special player. Despite being undersized, Brunson is arguably the most creative player in the paint and one of the NBA’s best. Learning under him could pay massive dividends for Carter’s future in the league.
Like Hart, the Providence guard excels at rebounding the ball, and no matter what position you play, that is an invaluable asset. As mentioned before, Carter plays excellent defense both at the rim and at the three-point line. In a pick-and-roll dominated NBA, the ability for the guards to get physical and contest shots at the rim is a must, and for Carter, it is a strength. His shortcoming comes from his shooting. Will it translate to the next level, and how good of a shotmaker is he? In his first two years of college, the junior guard shot under 30% from downtown, although he was near the 40% mark this year. Since the Knicks excel from three-point land, it is hard to see him take too many contested looks. The belief should be that his true efficiency will lean closer to the 40% mark. Since he will run with the second unit, he will go up against more lax defenses, allowing himself to develop his game. His offensive play style is needed to give some variability to an otherwise shooter heavy bench.
No matter what happens on June 26, the Knicks aren’t drafting starters, only bench pieces that they will develop to be the team’s future leaders. This was the thought process when they drafted Obi Toppin, although the team never developed his game. However, Carter “is a Thibs guy.” His play type and defensive aptitude give him the potential to be a day one impact player. Playing behind veterans like Brunson and DiVincenzo allows him to both chisel his ability inside and become more consistent. Carter is a valuable asset, and his growth at the collegiate level has been remarkable as a player and a leader. He will take a lesser role on a loaded Knicks squad than at Providence, which could benefit him. If Carter is still on the board for New York, President of Basketball Operations Leon Rose shouldn’t hesitate to use a first-round pick on him.